Shells

Another short post with some pics I took earlier in the year at the kitchen table. I was an avid shell collector when I was young and, since I am at the beach or underwater a lot, I still pick up and take home shells (never live molluscs). I found that it is actually quite hard to take decent macro shots of shells. Ideally you take photos at an angle while the shells are underwater on a black background, but I had trouble with glare and gave up on that approach. The photos here were all taken above-water on a white background (which will be overexposed with the shells being underexposed so that is something I need to figure out). Shells tend to lose their lustre so I have used baby oil to restore their gleam. Above the Pheasant Shell Tricolia picta (previously UK specimens were considered to be T. pullus), a favourite macro topic of mine as well when alive, see here. I have pasted a few more photos below, including the five species of Topshells common in Cornwall, but I am too lazy to add all species names! (feel free to comment if you are curious about a specific species and I will do my best to answer). Something to experiment more with in winter when I cannot go out.

2 thoughts on “Shells”

  1. I love your kitchen table photos of seashells!
    And your posts are always so interesting. I wonder If you’d allow me to use these photos with y watercolour workshop students during a work shop I’m planning drawing and paint seashells in watercolour?
    I’d send you prints of any watercolours that I made from your specific photos of course as a thankyou to you.
    Yours
    Sarah Bell
    Ps I’m on Instagram at @sarahbellart_pz

    • Hi Sarah,
      thank you! Of course feel free to use any photos on the site for your workshops – I am honoured that you asked. I already followed you on instagram actually! All the best, Mick

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